Known state-of-the-art traction-and-braking control systems require at least two control means.
A first control means is assigned to activating traction and electrical braking.
A second control means is assigned to activating pneumatic braking.
A third control means is usually assigned to emergency braking, namely to activating all of the available braking systems.
Such control systems suffer from the major drawback of requiring at least two distinct control means, and generally three distinct control means, and this increases the possibilities of human error during degraded situations by offering the driver a multitude of possible strategies and procedures for regulating speed.
Another drawback of such prior art control systems is that they potentially make it possible for the speed set by the driver to be exceeded.
Another drawback of such prior art control systems is that they are deemed complex to use.
Another drawback of such prior art control systems is that they require a large number of operations in order to go from rheostatic braking to pneumatic braking alone, or from traction to electrical braking.
Another drawback of such prior art control systems is that they give rise to postural discomfort due to control operations that require movement over large amplitudes.
Another drawback of such prior art control systems is the very large amount of space required for the traction and braking controls.
Another drawback of such prior art control systems is that no safety mechanism makes it possible to avoid the control from being accidentally moved off its setting.